Liberty Warehouse closing deadline pushed back

Liberty Warehouse redevelopment update: The deadline has been pushed back to April for the closing of the sale of the Liberty Warehouse, the former tobacco warehouse on Rigsbee Avenue.

In May 2011, a portion of the property’s roof collapsed, scattering the nonprofits, artists, and other tenants that were leasing space there.

In May of this year, the limited liability company connected to Greenfire Development that owns the property entered into a contract to sell the property to Chapel Hill-based East West Partners Management Co.

East West Partners plans to redevelop Liberty Warehouse into a mixed-use project with commercial as well as residential development. The firm, owned by Roger Perry, was behind the development of the residential neighborhood Woodcroft.

In May, the Durham City Council voted to remove the designation of the property from the city’s list of local historic landmarks because of the redevelopment plan for the property. Perry said most of the building is not salvageable.

The deadline for the closing of the sale to East West Partners was originally set for Dec. 31, but that’s now been pushed back to April of next year. Perry said they extended the deadline in order to have the plans for the project reviewed and approved prior to the closing. They’re looking to submit the plans for the project next month.

“I think the architecture is very attractive; it is very much within the context and vernacular of the architecture within that area,” he said. “We’re excited about it.”

The dog grooming business is moving into a larger space in the shopping center, which now also houses the Oliver’s Collar Dog Treat Bakery & Boutique. The salon’s space is currently under construction, said Paul Muñana, a senior leasing agent with Regency Centers Corp.

Salon owner Beth Johnston said the space is in the final stages of construction, and she expects it to be open in its new spot in January.

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More hot yoga options: A hot yoga studio is opening on N.C. 54 in Durham called My Yoga. This will be the fourth studio to offer hot yoga in the area behind Bikram Yoga Durham’s studio downtown and the second location it’s planning to open in Chapel Hill, as well as behind the Arrichion Hot Yoga studio that’s opening at Southpoint Crossing in southern Durham off N.C. 54.

Madeline Strauss, the owner of the new studio, said she’s opening to open My Yoga by February or March. Previously, she said she subleased space in a gym called Snap Fitness in Chapel Hill. She said the studio has not been open, and she’s been waiting for the new space.

Her new 2,000-square-foot studio will have showers in addition to space for classes, she said. The studio will be in the same complex as N.C. Pilates.

Strauss said her studio will offer a different approach to hot yoga compared with what’s offered or planned to be offered by other studios in Durham. Bikram Yoga is the practice of 26 poses in a heated room.

Strauss said she will have different levels of heat intensity, catering to beginners as well as experienced practitioners. The heat helps with flexibility, weight loss, to detoxify the body, as well as to increase the intensity of the work-out, she said.

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Chapel Hill’s Topper’s opening update: The owner of the new Topper’s Pizza restaurant in Chapel Hill said that on the date of the eatery’s grand opening on Jan. 11, the first 50 people who spend $10 will qualify for an offer for free food for a year.

Restaurant franchisee Wayne Byers said in an email that the offer is for one menu item per week for 52 weeks, with no purchase necessary.

The restaurant is slated to open initially Jan. 4, Byers said, but because of permitting, it’s possible that they may not make that date. So he said to emphasize the grand opening date Jan. 11.

Toppers is opening in the old Gumby’s space on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.